Writing machine



Am@ TLQB J. A. SMHTH WRTING MACHINE www@ m@ J. A. @MHH www WRITING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES ArtNr orifice WRITING MACHINE Application June 13, 1936, Serial No. 85,011

24 claims.'

This invention relates to typewriting machines, and is more particularly directed to the utilization of such machines for printing any desiredV information or indicia upon formed, hollow articles, as boxes, lids, or other containers.

A principal object of the invention is to enable the typing of any desired indicia on containers, already formed, or on the labels, subsequently to their application to the boxes or containers.

Thus, manufacturing establishments for the production of shoes, underwear, knit goods, etc., package their products in boxes or cartons.

Labels with yappropriately arranged blanks for the reception of data relating to the contents are generally pasted on the boxes, the data having, heretofore, been filled in after the application of the labels to the boxes, by the use of rubber stamps, or in hand writing.

If stamping devices are employed, a large assortment of such devices are required from which the correct stamps must be selected, and the stamp board occupies considerable space. Hand writing is quite laborious, and may not be legible. In placing the data on boxes to contain-special lots, it is necessary to write the data in, as there may be no appropriate rubber stamp.

Furthermore, the labels are generally formed of glazed paper which does not readily absorb the ink applied by imp-ressions from stamping devices and printing presses, as a result of which the merchandise, if accidentally brought in contact with such freshly printed labels, would be stained with ink, and thereby damaged,

This spotting would be quite likely to occur, since it is customary to pack merchandise in the cartons as the latter come from the printing device, no storage supply of printed cartons being carried on hand.

My invention is designed to avoid the foregoing and other inconveniences, by providing for the typing on the containers, or on the labels already applied thereto, not only of the prescribed data, but of any special data required for a particular bill of goods, thus greatly facilitating the work, and improving its appearance and legibility.

Furthermore, by arranging to apply the required data to the cartons or the blank labels thereon by means of typewriting, the danger of spotting or staining the goods, should the latter contact the freshly printed labels, is greatly reduced.

As one means to accomplish these results, I have contrived to removably support a box or container on a platen in position to be printed upon by the key-selected types of a typewriting machine.

Obviously, this arrangement enables the operator to type any desired data on the box or carton or on the label pasted thereon, together with special indications where necessary or desired.

Conveniently, for the purpose of illustrating one form of the invention, I have elected to show the invention applied to a Well known type of flat-platen Writing machine, as the Elliott- Fisher.

The invention includes certain novel features and combinations of parts, all of which will be more fully explained hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View, illustrating the platen frame and platen of an Elliott Fisher typewriting machine, modified in accordance with one form of the invention, to accommodate hollow formed articles to be printed upon;

Fig. 2 is va fragmentary view in vertical section, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View through the platen, at right angles to Fig. 2, and taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line ll-li of Fig. 1, to show one form of support for the stationary section of the platen, and

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the wellknown Elliott Fisher machine to illustrate the use of this invention in connection therewith.

The usual Elliott-Fisher writing machine comprises a frame lil, (Fig. 5) supporting a pair of suitably braced side rails ll, Il, (Figs. l and 5), traversed by a line space frame l2 equipped with tracks i3 arranged at substantial right angles to the side rails ll, on which is mounted a key carriage M provided with a keyboard, the keys i5 of which control the usual equipment of type bars it, one of which is indicated in dotted lines (in Fig. l) and full lines (Figs. 2 and 5). The platen hereinafter more fully described, lies between the side rails lil and beneath the key carriage ill.

Escapement mechanism, as disclosed in patent to Foothorap, 1,203,519, issued Oct. 31, 1916, and typified by the escapement spring drum ll' (Fig. 5), advances the key carriage in letter spacing direction relatively to the platen, and line spacing mechanism, indicated at 18, and more fully shown in patent to Foothorap, 1,914,884, dated June 20, 1933, advances the key carriage and line space frame in line-spacing direction, all as disclosed more fully in combination, n U. S. patents to Foothorap, 1,904,127, April 18, 1933, Vand 1,596,420, August 17, 1926, to Which reference may be made for a more complete understanding of these various mechanisms.

Obviously, under the influence of the letter and line spacing mechanisms, the key carriage may traverse the entire platen area, both fore and aft, and transversely.

Heretofore, as explained in U. S. patent, No. 1,596,420, the platen comprising a single ilat plate positioned between the side rails I0, was arranged to be raised and lowered, the platen normally being held in its raised position by springs which pressed the side edges of the platen against the under faces of flanges I9, (Figs. l, 3 and 4) projecting inwardly from the inner faces of the side rails.

Pressure on a foot pedal operated through toggle-link connections to depress the platen, to permit the insertion and removal of the edge of a work sheet between the clamping edges of the platen and the flanges, Where it was held in place When the platen returned to its elevated position.

In the present invention, the raising and lowering mechanism for the platen, heretofore used, is omitted, and the usual flat platen is transversely divided or formed of sections 29 and 2I.

Although in the form shown, the rear platen section 20 is stationary and the front section 2| is shiftable, towards and from the stationary section, it is obvious that both sections might be shiftably mounted between the side rails II, or that the front section might be stationary and the rear section be movable. The platen section or sections may be arranged to shift relatively in a direction towards and from each other in any Suitable manner, one such means being as follows:

Referring more particularly to Figs. l,` 3 and 4, suitable bracket supports in the form of angle irons 2v2, for instance, are fastened to the inner faces of the side rails II, as at 23, parallell with and below the flanges I9.

These angle irons 22, together with the flanges I9, constitute ways to accommodate and support the opposite side edges of the front and rear platen sections 2| and 20.

Guide Strips 24. located adiacent toL the danses I9 and corresponding substantially in length thereto, in effect, form horizontal extensions of the flanges and rest upon the upper faces of the platen sections 2Q and 2-I, which upper faces lie slightly below the position which is normally occupied by the usual platen, The slightly lowerlevel at which the platen sections 2I and 22 are supported by the angle irons 2,2, is to compensate for the thickness of the sides of the article to be printed upon, thus avoiding the necessity of extensive alterations to adjust the length of stroke of the type bars to cause the type facesl to strike flatly upon the work.

The usual travelling keyboard I4, line space frame I2, and rails I I may thus. be utilized without change in this invention.

In the present illustration of the invention, fastenings, as bolts 25, secure the rear ends of the guide strips 24 in place against movement, the fastenings passing through the strips 25, and the rear platen section 20 to connect these parts rigidly to the rear ends of the angle iron brackets 22.

The front platen section 2I- is slidable hori- Zontally in the ways formed by the spaced anges I9 and brackets 22, from a position wherein the inner edge of the front section lies contiguous to the front edge of the rear section 29, a handle 26 being conveniently attached near the forward edge of the front section to facilitate manipulation of the front section.

To alford a support for the box, carton or other hollow-formed article, so as to enable the printing of any desired data thereon, I preferably recess or slot either or both of the abutting edges of the sectional platen 20, 2 I.

In the particular form of the invention herein selected for illustration, the inner or rear edge of the front section 2| is provided with a pair of forwardly extending, spaced, parallel slots 21, it being quite evident that these slots might be formed in the front edge of the rear platen section 20, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. l, or that both platen sections might be recessed.

By cutting these recesses in the selected platen section, the intervening structure forms a tongue from which the hollow article 29 depends, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

In use, it will be assumed that the key carriage I4 and line space frame I2 are so located on the side rails I I, that a key I5, when depressed, will operate the type carrier I5 to print upon any material supported on the tongue lying between the recesses or slots 2'I.

The front section 2| of the platen is drawn outwardly to form a gap between the inner edge of its tongue and the forward edge of the rear section 20, as well as clearing the key carriage I4 and line space frame I2 by a considerable margin,

The hollow formed article on which it is desired to print, as the lid of a box or other container, is then inserted edge wise into the gap thus formed, the operator holding the upper wall of the article so that the hollow interior of the article faces forwardly.

The article is then lowered until its lower wall lies below the tongue, after which the article is drawn forwardly over the rearwardly projecting tongue of the front section 2i, the side walls of the article being accommodated in the respective recesses or slots 2l, with the tongue projecting into the hollow article, so that it lies against the inner face of the upper side wall of the article, the article depending beneath the platen and supported by the tongue.

The front section 2 I with the article suspended therefrom, is then slid inwardly until the inner edge of the platen tongue is arrested by the forward edge of the rear section 2Il of the platen, the rear wall (bottoni or top) of the hollow article 29 being thus firmly held or clamped between the rear edge of the front section 2| and the front edge of the rear section 20.

Contact of the hollow article with the front edge of the rear section 20 forces the article fully onto. the rearwardly projecting tongue on the front platen section 2I.

'I'he operator may now bring the key carriage to the left to start the line of writing, if a line is required for the data to be printed on the box, the usual letter spacing escapement of the Elliott Fisher machine operating to advance the carriage step by step, or the carriage can be readily positioned to print on spaced blanks on the upwardly facing side wall of the hollow article, or upon a label pasted thereon prior to the insertion of the article into the typewriting machine.

ISI)

After completing the writing, the front platen section 2| may be drawn forwardly away from the front edge of the rear platen section, thus releasing the clamping action of the adjacent edges of the front and rear platen sections on the article, which latter moves forwardly with the front platen section.

As a means to automatically eifect the removal of the printed article from the sliding platen, so that an unprinted article may be substituted in place thereof without necessitating the manual removal of the printed article, a displacing means, in the form of a depending bail 3U is secured at its opposite ends, as at 3l, to the opposite side bars il of the frame, at a point substantially in the same plane with the closed ends of the recesses 2li, the bail extending across the space between the rails Il, in the path of the depending article as the movable platen section is slid outwardly. Obviously the displacing bail can be adjustably secured along the rails Il to facilitate the removal of containers of different depths.

As the operator commences to draw the front platen section outwardly with the hollow article hanging from the tongue thereof, the depending portion of the article contacts with and is arrested by the stationary displacing bail 30, so that continued withdrawal of the platen section with-n draws its tongue from within the hollow article, and the latter drops onto an inclined chute (not shown) by which it may be conveyed to a packer, who will pick up the printed container, and place the merchandise therein.

It will be noted that the recesses or slots 2l are considerably wider than the thickness of the side walls of the article, to enable the same platen section to be used with articles varying considerably in width, as. well as depth, it being plain that platen sections having parallel recesses spaced different distances apart, may be substituted for the front platen section.

As heretofore stated, the slots or recesses 21 to accommodate the side walls of the articles, may be formed in either the front or rear platen sections, or in both.

When these slots are formed in the front platen section, the machine is adapted to print on the walls of the covers or lids of boxes, whereas if the slots are formed in the rear platen section, the machine will print on the walls of the body portions of hollow-formed articles as boxes, containers or the like.

This is due to the arrangement of the types on the key carriage which print with their base lines toward the operator.

rlhe operations of applying hollow-formed articles to, and removing them from, the tongue formed by slotting the rear platen section, are readily understood in View of the explanation given relatively to the application and removal of hollow formed articles to and from the front platen section.

Obviously, too, the unslotted platen areas may be used to support work sheets for listing thereon duplicate entries of the items printed on the walls of the hollow articles, in which event, the operator would position the carriage over the work sheet and strike the proper keys, either before or after printing the items on the hollow articles.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the side rails Il, forming a platen frame, and the platen sections 2l), 2|, arranged as shown and described, constitute a unitary structure capable of attachment to the usual Elliott Fisher pedestal, or to any suitable skeleton supporting frame, to removably accommodate a travelling key carriage lll and line space frame I2 lifted olf of a standard Elliott Fisher machine, to which the carriage and line space frame may be restored when work on the containers is discontinued.

Changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new isz- 1. A typewriting machine including printing elements; selective keys to control the imprint of the printing elements on the work; and a flat platen shiftable in a substantially horizontal plane out of and into the printing zone, to support and carry formed articles placed singly thereon into the printing zone to be imprinted by operation of the keys, and out of the printing zone for removal from the platen.

2.- A typewriting machine including printing elements; selective keys to control the imprint of the printing elements on the work; and a fiat platen shiftable in a substantially horizontal plane out of and into the printing zone, the platen being recessed at a plurality of points to accommodate the side walls of a box, the intermediate wall of which box lies flat on the platen between the recesses to receive imprints from the printing elements.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a printing element; of a sectional platen with which the printing element co-acts; the platen sections being relatively shiftable, the inner edge of one of the sections being recessed to removably accommodate opposite walls of a formed article, in position to enable the intermediate wall to be printed upon.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a printing element; of a sectional platen with which the printing element co-acts; the platen sections being relatively shiftable, the inner edge of one of the sections being recessed to removably accommodate opposite walls of a formed article, in position to enable the intermediate wall to be printed upon, the inner edge of the adjacent platen section co-acting with the unrecessed inner edge of the first-named section.

to releasably clamp the article in place.v

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a suitable frame; and a printing element mounted thereon; of a sectional platen, one of which sections is shiftable relatively to the other, on the frame, and recessed to support a formed article, the adjacent edges of the sections adapted to clamp the formed article in printing position, and to release the article.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a suitable frame; and a printing element mounted thereon; of a sectional platen, one of which sections is slidably mounted on the frame to shift towards and from the adjacent section in the plane of the platen, and clamp the work between the adjacent edges of the sections in position to be printed upon, and to release the work for removal and substitution.

7. A typewriting machine equipped to print on hollow formed articles, including a printing element; a sectional platen, one of the sections being shiftable towards and from its adjacent section to clamp a wall of the article to be printed, between the adjacent edges of the platen sections, and to open a space between such adjacent edges to enable the article to be bodily inserted in and removed from the machine through such space.

8. A typewriting machine equipped to print on hollow articles, including a printing element; a sectional platen, one of the sections being shiftable towards and from its adjacent section to clamp the article to be printed, between the adjacent edges of the platen sections, and to open a space between such adjacent edges to enable the article to be inserted in and removed from the machine; the abutting edges of each of two adjacent sections being recessed to accommodate the walls of hollow articles leaving the intermediate wall in position to receive the printed matter.

9. A typewriting machine equipped to print on hollow articles, including a printing element; a sectional platen, one of the sections being shiftable towards and from its adjacent section to clamp the article to be printed, between the adjacent edges of the platen sections, and to open a space between such adjacent edges to enable the article to be inserted in and removed from the machine, the abutting edges of the platen sections having spaced recesses to accommodate the body of a hollow article to enable the printing element to print upon the intermediate portion of the body.

10. A typewriting machine equipped to print on hollow articles, including a printing element; a sectional platen, one of the sections being shiftable towards and from its adjacent section to clamp the article to be printed, between the adjacent edges of the platen sections, and to open a space between such adjacent edges to enable the article to be inserted in and removed from the machine; the adjacent edge of one of the platen sections having spaced recesses to form a tongue over which the body of a hollow article is placed, the tongue adapted to'support the hollow article in position to be printed.

l1. A typewriting machine equipped to print on hollow articles, including a printing element; and a platen, with which the printing element coacts; one edge of the platen having spaced recesses to form a tongue on which the body of the hollow formed article is suspended to enable the printing element to print on the formed articles supported on the tongue, as well as on work sheets overlying the unrecessed portion of the platen.

12. A typewriting machine for printing upon hollow articles, including a key-controlled printing mechanism, and a sectional platen with which the printing mechanism co-acts, the sections of the platen being relatively shiftable, to enable the inner edges of the platen sections to clamp an interposed article, or to be separated from each other to release the article; the inner edge of at least one of the sections having a tongue formed thereon, on which the body of a hollow article is suspended in position to receive the printed indicia.

13. A typewriting machine for printing upon formed hollow articles, including a key-controlled printing mechanism, and a sectional platen, relatively shiftable in letter and line spacing directions; tl'ie inner edge of one section of the platen a tongue adapted to enter and suspend the articles, one of the sections being movable relatively to the other to clamp the suspended articles between the adjacent edges of the respective sections.

14. The combination with a suitable support; of a unitary device, including side bars to accommodate printing means; and platen sections mounted between the side bars, at least one of f which platen sections is shiftable relatively to the other, and recessed .to accommodate hollow formed articles which are adapted to be clamped between the adjacent edges of the platen sections.

15. The combination with a suitable support; of a unitary device, including side bars to accommodate printing means; platen sections mounted between the side bars, at least one of which platen sections is shiftable relatively tothe other, and recessed to accommodate hollow formed articles which are adapted to be clamped between the adjacent edges of the platen sections; and means to disengage the hollow formed article from the shiftable platen section as the latter is withdrawn from its co-acting platen section.

16. The combination with a suitable support; of a printer element and a platen relatively shiftable in different directions, the platen having parallel recesses to form a tongue on which to support a depending hollow-formed article to be printed upon; and means between which and the platen the article is clamped when the platen is in one of its positions.

17. The combination with a suitable support; of a printer element and a platen relatively shiftable in different directions, the platen having parallel recesses to form a tongue on which to support a depending hollow-formed article to be printed upon; and means to disengage the depending article from the platen as the latter is shifted in one direction.

18. The combination with a suitable support; of a printer element and a platen relatively shiftable in different directions, the platen having parallel recesses to form a tongue on which to support a depending hollow-formed article to be printed upon; and a stationary bail lying in the path of the depending article as the platen is shifted in one direction to cause disengagement of the article from the platen.

19. The combination with a printing element, of a unitary work-supporting means including a frame to support the printing element; and a platen mounted to shift edgewise on the frame A and formed to accommodate hollow articles in position to be printed upon; means to limit the travel of the platen, when shifted in one direction, the platen and said limiting means operating to clamp the article in place while being printed; and the platen, when shifted in the opposite direction, operating to withdraw the article for removal and substitution.

20. Thefcombination in a typewriting machine, of a printing element and a platen, relatively movable in letter and line spacing directions, an area of the platen being recessed to form a tongue in which to suspend hollow pre-formed articles in position to be printed upon, the remaining area of the platen adapted to support sheets to receive impressions.

2l. The combination in a typewriting machine, with a traveling key carriage; of a flat platen relatively to which the key carriage is movable in letter and in line spacing directions, the flat platen having spaced recesses formed therein separated by a tongue on which to support a hollow pre-formed article to receive impressions.

22. in a typewriting machine for printing upon work sheets and upon formed articles, the combination with` a suitable frame; anda printing element mounted thereon; of a sectional nat platen, one of which sections is shiftable relatively to the other, and is recessed to accommodate the wallsA of a pre-formed article depending from the platen to receive printing impressions.

23. In a printing machine, having traveling printing mechanism, the combination of a flat platen section adapted as an article support and shiftable to position the article Within and remove it from the printing zone; and means in the path of the platen section, as it positions the article in the printing zone, to co-act with the platen section to retain the article in place.

24. In a printing machine, having traveling printing mechanism; the combination with a subjacent, movable, flat platen formed to enter and support a hollow formed article so that one wall of the article will be located in the Writing JAMES A. SMITH. 

